Diary Prequel Package — page 127

Senator Arlen Specter Senator Patrick Leahy September 1, 2005 also relied on the apparent lack of deterrent effect of the death penalty on juveniles, despite absence of absolute proof for that conclusion. While noting that "it is unclear whether the d penalty has a significant or even measurable deterrent effect on juveniles," the Court held th ""the likelihood that the teenage offender has made the kind of cost-benefit analysis that atte any weight to the possibility of execution is so remote as to be virtually nonexistent.'"!* In our increasingly complex world, law and science frequently intersect. Understanc Judge Roberts's views on these important issues will shed considerable light on his approac! the responsibilities of a Supreme Court justice. It would be a significant departure from the Court's current jurisprudence were he to seek to impose a standard of proof that requires absolute scientific certainty, as he appeared to do in the fall of 1985. Conclusion On April 8, 1990, Ryan White died. In an editorial eulogizing Ryan, President Reag stated: "We owe it to Ryan to make sure that the fear and ignorance that chased him from hi home and his school will be eliminated."'® The President implicitly acknowledged that he h been wrong not to support the findings of his own experts sooner, and that his refusal to trus evidence had only contributed to the isolation and shame that surrounded AIDS. It is important for the Senate and the American public to hear whether Judge Roberts learned the right lessons as well. Sincerely, Cling A, Wyprrrnn-- Henry A. Waxman Ranking Minority Member S$ se Ge eee Pe le.Ow. PRO... CU ERS Se Ae Far.